EarthLink (ELNK) 10-Q 5 May 15 2015 Q1 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]
Entity Registrant Name	EARTHLINK HOLDINGS CORP.
Entity Central Index Key	1102541
Current Fiscal Year End Date	-19
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	31-Mar-15
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2015
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Amendment Flag	FALSE
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		103,088,130

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$108,053	$134,133
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $6,211 and $5,832 as of December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015, respectively	90,942	92,616
Prepaid expenses	17,767	13,761
Other current assets	13,848	13,671
Total current assets	230,610	254,181
Property and equipment, net	391,840	404,713
Goodwill	137,751	137,751
Other intangible assets, net	74,810	91,490
Other long-term assets	21,107	22,026
Total assets	856,118	910,161
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	18,474	23,726
Accrued payroll and related expenses	26,887	50,197
Other accrued liabilities	92,602	85,181
Deferred revenue	45,599	43,940
Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	6,528	1,537
Deferred income taxes, net	772	751
Total current liabilities	190,862	205,332
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	580,592	606,284
Long-term deferred income taxes, net	2,612	2,448
Other long-term liabilities	21,579	21,313
Total liabilities	795,645	835,377
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000 shares authorized, 0 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2014	0	0
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 300,000 shares authorized, 198,623 and 199,318 shares issued as of December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015, respectively, and 102,296 and 102,991 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015, respectively	1,993	1,986
Additional paid-in capital	2,031,547	2,035,382
Accumulated deficit	-1,228,210	-1,217,727
Treasury stock, at cost, 96,327 shares as of December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015	-744,857	-744,857
Total stockholders' equity	60,473	74,784
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$856,118	$910,161

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE1

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Current	$5,832	$6,211
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$0.01	$0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	100,000,000	100,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$0.01	$0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	300,000,000	300,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	199,318,000	198,623,000
Common stock, shares outstanding	102,991,000	102,296,000
Treasury stock, shares	96,327,000	96,327,000

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$282,447	$297,320
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	129,462	145,876
Selling, general and administrative (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)	95,258	106,484
Depreciation and amortization	47,264	46,855
Impairment of long-lived assets	0	5,334
Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs	5,372	4,977
Total operating costs and expenses	277,356	309,526
Income (loss) from operations	5,091	-12,206
Interest expense and other, net	-15,223	-13,956
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	-10,132	-26,162
Income tax provision	-351	-363
Loss from continuing operations	-10,483	-26,525
Gain from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	55
Net loss	($10,483)	($26,470)
Basic and Diluted Net Loss Per Share
Continuing Operations, Basic and Diluted (per share)	($0.10)	($0.26)
Discontinued Operations, Basic and Diluted (per share)	$0	$0
Basic and Diluted Net Loss Per Share	($0.10)	($0.26)
Basic and Diluted Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding	102,611	102,312
Dividends declared per share	$0.05	$0.05

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME1

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss	($10,483)	($26,470)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	47,264	46,855
Impairment of long-lived assets	0	5,334
Non-cash income taxes	185	210
Stock-based compensation	3,415	4,943
Amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs	1,029	1,016
Loss on extinguishment of debt	1,286	0
Other operating activities	-90	-145
Decrease in accounts receivable, net	1,674	2,414
Increase in prepaid expenses and other assets	-4,537	-3,175
Decrease in accounts payable and accrued and other liabilities	-22,437	-9,619
(Decrease) increase in deferred revenue	1,559	-57
Net cash provided by operating activities	18,865	21,306
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	-17,529	-23,384
Net cash used in investing activities	-17,529	-23,384
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of debt and capital lease obligations	-21,938	-338
Payment of dividends	-5,478	-5,707
Net cash used in financing activities	-27,416	-6,045
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	-26,080	-8,123
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	134,133	116,636
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$108,053	$108,513

Organization

Organization	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization	Organization
	EarthLink Holdings Corp. (“EarthLink” or the “Company”), together with its consolidated subsidiaries, is a leading managed network, security and cloud services provider to business and residential customers in the United States. The Company operates two reportable segments, Business Services and Consumer Services. The Company’s Business Services segment provides a broad range of data, voice and managed services to retail and wholesale business customers. The Company’s Consumer Services segment provides nationwide Internet access and related value-added services to residential customers.The Company operates an extensive network including more than 29,000 route fiber miles, 90 metro fiber rings and enterprise-class data centers that provide data and voice IP service coverage across more than 90 percent of the United States. For further information concerning the Company’s reportable segments, see Note 12, “Segment Information.”

Summary_of_Significant_Account

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
	Basis of Presentation
	The condensed consolidated financial statements of EarthLink for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 and the related footnote information are unaudited and have been prepared on a basis consistent with the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) (the “Annual Report”).
	These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto contained in the Annual Report.  In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) which management considers necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented.  The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results anticipated for the entire year ending December 31, 2015.
	Basis of Consolidation
	The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of EarthLink include the accounts of its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated.
	Use of Estimates
	The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements.  Actual results may differ from those estimates.
	Long-Lived Assets
	The Company evaluates the recoverability of long-lived assets, including property and equipment and purchased definite-lived intangible assets, for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Conditions that would necessitate an impairment assessment include a significant decline in the observable market value of an asset, a significant change in the extent or manner in which an asset is used or a significant adverse change that would indicate the carrying amount of an asset or group of assets is not recoverable. For long-lived assets to be held and used, the Company recognizes an impairment loss only if its carrying amount is not recoverable through its undiscounted cash flows and measures the impairment loss, if any, based on the difference between the carrying amount and fair value. Long-lived assets held for sale are reported at the lower of cost or fair value less costs to sell. During the three months ended March 31, 2014, the Company recorded $5.3 million for impairment of long-lived assets, which consisted of impairment of work in progress for information technology projects not expected to be used. The impairment loss is classified within impairment of long-lived assets in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Loss.
	Discontinued Operations
	The operating results of the Company's telecom systems business acquired as part of ITC^DeltaCom, Inc. ("ITC^DeltaCom") have been separately presented as discontinued operations for all periods presented. On August 2, 2013, the Company sold its telecom systems business. The Company has no significant continuing involvement in the operations or significant continuing direct cash flows. The telecom systems results of operations were previously included in the Company's Business Services segment.
	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
	In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") issued authoritative guidance on revenue from contracts with customers. The new guidance outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard requires significantly expanded disclosures about revenue contract assets and liabilities. The standard is required to be adopted by public business entities in annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods, and may be applied on a full retrospective or modified retrospective approach. Early adoption is prohibited. In April 2015, the FASB proposed a one-year deferral of the effective date. Under the proposal, the standard would be required to be adopted by public business entities in annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2017. The FASB also proposed to permit early adoption at the original effective date. The Company is evaluating the impact of the implementation of this standard on its financial statements.
	In August 2014, the FASB issued authoritative guidance related to the disclosure of uncertainties about an entity's ability to continue as a going concern. The new guidance requires management to evaluate whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the financial statements and to provide related footnote disclosures if so. The new standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.
	In April 2015, the FASB issued authoritative guidance to simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs. The new guidance requires an entity to present debt issuance costs as a direct deduction from the related debt liability rather than as an asset. Entities would apply the new guidance retrospectively to all prior periods. The new standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this standard will require the Company to reclassify its debt issuance costs from other long-term assets to a direct deduction of long-term debt and capital lease obligations in its Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of March 31, 2015, the Company had $11.5 million of debt issuance costs.
	In April 2015, the FASB issued authoritative guidance to customers about whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for the arrangement as a service contract. Entities could apply the new guidance either prospectively or retrospectively to all prior periods. The new standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

Earnings_per_Share

Earnings per Share	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings per Share	Earnings per Share
	Basic net loss per share represents net loss divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the reported period. Diluted net loss per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock, including stock options and restricted stock units (collectively “Common Stock Equivalents”), were exercised, vested or converted into common stock. The dilutive effect, if any, of outstanding stock options and restricted stock units is reflected in diluted earnings per share by application of the treasury stock method. In applying the treasury stock method for stock-based compensation arrangements, the assumed proceeds are computed as the sum of the amount the employee must pay upon exercise, the amount of compensation cost attributed to future services and not yet recognized and the amount of excess tax benefits, if any, that would be credited to additional paid-in capital assuming exercise of the awards. The Company has not included the effect of Common Stock Equivalents in the calculation of diluted earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 because such inclusion would have an anti-dilutive effect due to the Company's net loss. As of March 31, 2014 and 2015, the Company had 10.9 million and 11.2 million stock options and restricted stock units outstanding, respectively, which were excluded from the determination of dilutive earnings per share. Anti-dilutive securities could be dilutive in future periods.

Restructuring_Acquisition_and_

Restructuring, Acquisition and Integration-Related Costs	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Restructuring, Acquisition and Integration-Related Costs	Restructuring, Acquisition and Integration-Related Costs
	Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs consisted of the following during the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014			2015
		(in thousands)
	Integration-related costs	$	3,953		$	1,317
	Severance, retention and other employee costs	1,008			2,901
	Facility-related costs	16			1,154
	Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs	$	4,977		$	5,372
	Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs consist of costs related to the Company's restructuring, acquisition and integration-related activities. Such costs include: 1) integration-related costs, such as system conversions, rebranding costs and integration-related consulting and employee costs; 2) severance, retention and other employee termination costs associated with acquisition and integration activities and with certain voluntary employee separations; and 3) facility-related costs, such as lease termination and asset impairments. The Company recognizes a liability for costs associated with an exit or disposal activity when the liability is incurred. The Company recognizes severance costs when they are both probable and reasonably estimable.
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company recorded $4.1 million of restructuring costs in connection with changes in the Company's business strategy. The restructuring costs consisted of $2.9 million of severance and other employee costs due to reductions in workforce and $1.2 million of facilities-related costs primarily due to the closing of certain sales offices. Restructuring costs for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are included in restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Loss.
	The following table summarizes activity for liability balances associated with facility exit and restructuring liabilities for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Severance and Benefits			Facilities			Total
		(in thousands)
	Balance as of December 31, 2014	$	5,373		$	4,713		$	10,086
	Accruals	2,901			1,154			4,055
	Payments	(4,430		)	(334		)	(4,764		)
	Balance as of March 31, 2015	$	3,844		$	5,533		$	9,377
	As of December 31, 2014, $6.8 million of facility exit and restructuring liabilities were classified within current liabilities and $3.3 million were classified as other long-term liabilities. As of March 31, 2015, $5.7 million of facility exit and restructuring liabilities were classified within current liabilities and $3.7 million were classified as other long-term liabilities.

Goodwill_and_Other_Intangible_

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets	Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
	Goodwill
	There were no changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the three months ended March 31, 2015.
	Other Intangible Assets
	The following table presents the components of the Company’s acquired identifiable intangible assets included in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015:
		As of December 31, 2014							As of March 31, 2015
		Gross		Accumulated			Net		Gross		Accumulated			Net
		Carrying		Amortization			Carrying		Carrying		Amortization			Carrying
		Value					Value		Value					Value
		(in thousands)
	Customer relationships	$	359,187	$	(271,968	)	$	87,219	$	359,187	$	(287,967	)	$	71,220
	Developed technology and software	26,261		(22,096		)	4,165		26,261		(22,671		)	3,590
	Trade name	1,521		(1,521		)	—		1,521		(1,521		)	—
	Other	1,800		(1,694		)	106		1,800		(1,800		)	—
	Other intangible assets, net	$	388,769	$	(297,279	)	$	91,490	$	388,769	$	(313,959	)	$	74,810
	Definite-lived intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives. The Company amortizes its customer relationships using the straight-line method to match the estimated cash flow generated by such assets, and amortizes its developed technology and trade names using the straight-line method because a pattern to which the expected benefits will be consumed or otherwise used up could not be reliably determined. As of March 31, 2015, the weighted average amortization periods were 5.2 years for customer relationships, 3.8 years for developed technology and software, 5.0 years for trade name and 3.6 years for other identifiable intangible assets. As a result of a change in estimate for the estimated useful lives of certain customer relationships, the results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2015 include additional amortization expense of $1.4 million, or $0.01 per share.
	Amortization of intangible assets, which is included in depreciation and amortization in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss, for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 was as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014		2015
		(in thousands)
	Amortization expense	$	16,427	$	16,680
	Based on the current amount of definite-lived intangible assets, the Company expects to record amortization expense of approximately $49.5 million during the remaining nine months in the year ending December 31, 2015 and $23.6 million, $1.3 million and $0.4 million during the years ending December 31, 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively. Actual amortization expense to be reported in future periods could differ materially from these estimates as a result of acquisitions, changes in useful lives and other relevant factors.

Other_Accrued_Liabilities

Other Accrued Liabilities	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Other Accrued Liabilities [Abstract]
Other Accrued Liabilities	Other Accrued Liabilities
	The Company's other accrued liabilities consisted of the following as of December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015:
		As of December 31, 2014		As of March 31, 2015
		(in thousands)
	Accrued taxes and surcharges	$	17,801	$	18,081
	Accrued communications costs	25,917		24,608
	Amounts due to customers	9,565		9,019
	Accrued interest	5,251		16,706
	Accrued dividends	6,780		6,769
	Other	19,867		17,419
	Total other accrued liabilities	$	85,181	$	92,602

LongTerm_Debt_and_Capital_Leas

Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations	Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations
	The Company’s long-term debt and capital lease obligations consisted of the following as of December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015:
		As of December 31, 2014			As of March 31, 2015
		(in thousands)
	Senior secured notes due June 2020	$	300,000		$	300,000
	Senior notes due May 2019	300,000			278,925
	Unamortized discount on senior notes due May 2019	(6,601		)	(5,851		)
	Capital lease obligations	14,422			14,046
	Carrying value of debt and capital lease obligations	607,821			587,120
	Less current portion of debt and capital lease obligations	(1,537		)	(6,528		)
	Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$	606,284		$	580,592
	2015 Repurchases
	In October 2014, the Board of Directors authorized the Company’s management to repurchase up to $30.0 million of the Company’s outstanding 7.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2020 (the “Senior Secured Notes”) or 8.875% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Senior Notes”), so long as it is in compliance with the Company’s indenture and credit agreement covenants. In November 2014, the Company amended its Credit Agreement to permit the repurchase of up to $30.0 million of its Senior Secured Notes or Senior Notes, as long as such purchases otherwise comply with the terms of the Credit Agreement and the terms of the applicable indentures. Such repurchases were required to be entered into by March 31, 2015.
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company repurchased $21.1 million outstanding principal of its Senior Notes in the open market for $21.6 million, plus accrued and unpaid interest. Upon completion of the repurchase, $278.9 million aggregate principal amount of its Senior Notes remained outstanding. The Company recognized a $1.3 million loss on the repurchase, consisting of $0.5 million for premiums paid on the repurchase and $0.8 million for the write-off of unamortized discount on debt and debt issuance costs. This loss is included in interest expense and other, net, in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Loss. The payment of the premium is included in repayment of debt and capital lease obligations in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company initiated an additional repurchase of $5.0 million outstanding principal of its Senior Notes that settled subsequent to quarter end in April 2015. As a result, the Company reclassified $5.0 million of its outstanding debt from long-term debt and capital lease obligations to current portion of debt and capital lease obligations in its Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2015.
	Debt Covenants
	The indenture governing the Senior Secured Notes includes covenants which, subject to certain exceptions, limit the ability of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (as defined in the indenture) to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, make certain types of restricted payments, create liens, transfer and sell assets, enter into certain transactions with affiliates, issue or sell stock of subsidiaries, engage in sale-leaseback transactions and create restrictions on dividends or other payments by restricted subsidiaries. Upon a change of control (as defined in the indenture), the Company may be required to make an offer to repurchase the Senior Secured Notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest. The indenture governing the Senior Secured Notes also contains customary events of default. As of March 31, 2015, the Company was in compliance with these covenants.
	The indenture governing the Senior Notes includes covenants which, subject to certain exceptions, limit the ability of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (as defined in the indenture) to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, make certain types of restricted payments, incur liens on assets of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries, engage in asset sales and enter into transactions with affiliates. Upon a change of control (as defined in the indenture), the Company may be required to make an offer to repurchase the Notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest. The indenture governing the Senior Notes also contains customary events of default. As of March 31, 2015, the Company was in compliance with these covenants.
	The indentures governing the Senior Secured Notes and Senior Notes contain covenants regarding the Company's ability to make Restricted Payments (as defined in the indentures), including certain dividends, stock purchases, debt repayments and investments.  The indentures governing the Company's Senior Secured Notes and Senior Notes currently permit approximately $93.9 million and $219.6 million, respectively, in Restricted Payments. The Company's ability to make Restricted Payments varies over time, and is determined, in part, by the extent that the Company's cumulative EBITDA exceeds 300% of its cumulative interest expense.
	Revolving Credit Facility
	General.  The Company has a credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) providing for a senior secured revolving credit facility with aggregate revolving commitments of $135.0 million. The senior secured revolving credit facility terminates on May 29, 2017, and all amounts outstanding thereunder shall be due and payable in full. Commitment fees and borrowing costs under this facility vary and are based on the Company’s most recent Consolidated Leverage Ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement). As of March 31, 2015, the Company’s Commitment Fee was 0.5% and the Company’s borrowing cost would be LIBOR plus 3.50% for LIBOR Rate Loans and the Base Rate plus 2.50% for Base Rate Loans. No loans were outstanding under the senior secured revolving credit facility as of March 31, 2015. However, $1.8 million of letters of credit were outstanding under the facility’s Letter of Credit Sublimit as of March 31, 2015.
	Covenants. The Credit Agreement contains representations and warranties, covenants, and events of default with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries that are customarily applicable to senior secured credit facilities. The negative covenants in the Credit Agreement include restrictions on the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, make capital expenditures, incur liens on assets, engage in certain mergers, acquisitions or divestitures, pay dividends, repurchase stock or make other distributions, voluntarily prepay certain other indebtedness (including certain prepayments of the Company’s existing notes), enter into transactions with affiliates, make investments, and change the nature of their businesses, and amend the terms of certain other indebtedness (including the Company’s existing notes), in each case subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Credit Agreement.
	The Credit Agreement requires the Company to maintain a consolidated net leverage ratio of not greater than 3.5 to 1.0 (with restrictions on cash netting) and a consolidated interest coverage ratio of not less than 3.0 to 1.0 in order to borrow under the Credit Agreement. Additionally, the Credit Agreement requires the Company to maintain a consolidated net leverage ratio of not greater than 3.0 to 1.0 in order to repurchase common stock and to make dividend payments in excess of the $0.05 per share regular quarterly dividend. The Company was in compliance with all covenants as of March 31, 2015.
	Financial Information Under Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X
	The Company’s Senior Secured Notes and Senior Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally, on a senior unsecured basis by each of the Company’s existing and future domestic subsidiaries, other than certain subsidiaries that are minor (the “Guarantor Subsidiaries”). All of the Guarantor Subsidiaries are 100% owned by the Company and have, jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally guaranteed, to each holder of the Notes, the full and prompt performance of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and the indenture governing the Notes, including the payment of principal (or premium, if any) and interest on the Notes, on an equal and ratable basis. Further, the Company has no independent assets or operations, and there are no significant restrictions on the ability of its consolidated subsidiaries to transfer funds to the Company in the form of cash dividends, loans or advances. The Company’s assets consist solely of investments it has made in its consolidated subsidiaries, and its operations consist solely of changes in its investment in subsidiaries and interest associated with the Senior Secured Notes and Senior Notes. Based on these facts, and in accordance with SEC Regulation S-X Rule 3-10, “Financial statements of guarantors and issuers of guaranteed securities registered or being registered,” the Company is not required to provide condensed consolidating financial information for the Guarantor Subsidiaries.

Stockholders_Equity

Stockholders' Equity	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity	Stockholders’ Equity
	Share Repurchases
	Since the inception of the Company’s share repurchase program, the Board of Directors has authorized a total of $750.0 million for the repurchase of EarthLink’s common stock. As of March 31, 2015, the Company had $65.7 million available under the current authorizations. The Company may repurchase its common stock from time to time in compliance with the SEC’s regulations and other legal requirements, including through the use of derivative transactions, and subject to market conditions and other factors. The share repurchase program does not require the Company to acquire any specific number of shares and may be terminated by the Board of Directors at any time. In addition, the agreements governing the Company’s Senior Secured Notes and Senior Notes and the Company's Credit Agreement contain restrictions on the ability of the Company to repurchase common stock. The Company did not repurchase any of its common stock during the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015.
	Dividends
	During the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015, cash dividends declared were $0.05 and $0.05 per common share, respectively. The Company also pays cash dividend amounts on each outstanding restricted stock unit to be paid at the time the restricted stock unit vests. Cash dividend amounts are forfeited if the restricted stock units do not vest. Total dividend payments were $5.7 million and $5.5 million during the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively. The decision to declare future dividends is made at the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on, among other things, the Company’s results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements, investment opportunities and other factors the Board of Directors may deem relevant. In addition, the agreements governing the Company’s Senior Secured Notes and Senior Notes and the Company's Credit Agreement contain restrictions on the amount of dividends the Company can pay.

StockBased_Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Stock-Based Compensation	Stock-Based Compensation
	Stock-based compensation expense was $4.9 million and $3.4 million during the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively. The Company has classified stock-based compensation expense within selling, general and administrative expense, the same operating expense line item as cash compensation paid to employees.
	Options Outstanding
	The following table summarizes stock option activity as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Stock Options		Weighted				Weighted	Aggregate
				Average				Average	Intrinsic
				Exercise				Remaining	Value
				Price				Contractual
								Term (Years)
		(shares and dollars in thousands)
	Outstanding as of December 31, 2014	2,475		$	7.26
	Granted	—		—
	Forfeited and expired	(15	)	10.32
	Outstanding as of March 31, 2015	2,460		7.24				5.9	$	—
	Vested and expected to vest as of March 31, 2015	2,334		7.3				5.8	—
	Exercisable as of March 31, 2015	1,617		7.8				4.8	—
	The aggregate intrinsic value amounts in the table above represent the closing price of the Company’s common stock on March 31, 2015 in excess of the exercise price, multiplied by the number of stock options outstanding, exercisable or vested and expected to vest, when the closing price is greater than the exercise price. This represents the amount that would have been received by the stock option holders if they had all exercised their stock options on March 31, 2015. As of March 31, 2015, there was $1.0 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to stock options. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.9 years.
	The following table summarizes the status of the Company’s stock options as of March 31, 2015:
	Stock Options Outstanding													Stock Options Exercisable
											Weighted
											Average	Weighted			Weighted
											Remaining	Average			Average
	Range of								Number		Contractual	Exercise		Number	Exercise
	Exercise Prices								Outstanding		Life	Price		Exercisable	Price
									(in thousands)					(in thousands)
	$	4.97		to		$	4.97		300		8.8	$	4.97	75	$	4.97
	6.08			to		6.08			845		7.9	6.08		423	6.08
	6.9			to		7.51			660		6.3	7.45		515	7.44
	7.64			to		11.82			655		1.6	9.57		604	9.67
	4.97			to		11.82			2,460		5.9	7.24		1,617	7.8
	There were no stock options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2015. The fair value of stock options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2014 was estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions:
		Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
	Dividend yield	4.02%
	Expected volatility	46.77%
	Risk-free interest rate	1.60%
	Expected life	5 years
	The weighted average grant date fair value of options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2014 was $1.48 per share. The dividend yield assumption was based on the Company's history of dividend payouts at the time of grant. The expected volatility was based on a combination of the Company's historical stock price and implied volatility. The selection of implied volatility data to estimate expected volatility was based upon the availability of prices for actively traded options on the Company's stock. The risk-free interest rate assumption was based upon the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant for periods corresponding with the expected life of the option. The expected life of employee stock options represents the weighted-average period the stock options are expected to remain outstanding.
	Restricted Stock Units
	The following table summarizes restricted stock unit activity as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Restricted		Weighted
		Stock Units		Average
				Grant Date
				Fair Value
		(in thousands)
	Outstanding as of December 31, 2014	5,810		$	4.74
	Granted	4,228		4.45
	Vested	(1,082	)	5.46
	Forfeited	(230	)	5.76
	Outstanding as of March 31, 2015	8,726		$	4.48
	The fair value of restricted stock units is determined based on the closing price of EarthLink’s common stock on the grant date. The weighted-average grant date fair value of restricted stock units granted during the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 was $4.29 and $4.45, respectively.  As of March 31, 2015, there was $29.5 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested restricted stock units. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.4 years. The total fair value of shares vested during the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 was $6.6 million and $5.0 million, respectively, which represents the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the vesting date multiplied by the number of restricted stock units that vested.

Income_Taxes

Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes
	During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company recorded an income tax provision of $0.4 million, resulting in an effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2015 of approximately (3.5)%. During the three months ended March 31, 2014, the Company recorded an income tax provision of $0.4 million, resulting in an effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2014 of approximately (1.4)%.
	The difference between the effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate during the three months ended March 31, 2015 primarily relates to changes in the valuation allowance on net deferred tax assets. The income tax provision for the three months ended March 31, 2015 includes tax expense for foreign and state taxes, amortization of intangibles with indefinite useful lives and a discrete expense of $0.1 million primarily for state taxes. The difference between the effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate during the three months ended March 31, 2014 primarily relates to changes in the valuation allowance on net deferred tax assets. The tax provision for the three months ended March 31, 2014 was due to current year foreign and state tax expense and amortization of intangibles with indefinite useful lives.
	As of March 31, 2015, the Company had a valuation allowance of $337.6 million against its net deferred tax assets, exclusive of its deferred tax liabilities with indefinite useful lives. The Company continually reviews the adequacy of the valuation allowance and recognizes the benefits of deferred tax assets only as the reassessment indicates that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized. As of March 31, 2015, the Company does not believe it is more likely than not that the remaining net deferred tax assets will be realized. Should the Company’s assessment change in a future period it may release all or a portion of the valuation allowance at such time, which would result in a deferred tax benefit in the period of adjustment.

Fair_Value_Measurements

Fair Value Measurements	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value Measurements	Fair Value Measurements
	Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (an exit price). A three-tier fair value hierarchy is used to prioritize the inputs used in measuring fair value.  These tiers include: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; Level 2, defined as observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs for which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions.
	The estimated fair value of the Company’s debt was determined based on Level 2 input using observable market prices in less active markets. The following table presents the fair value of the Company’s debt, excluding capital leases, as of December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015:
		As of December 31, 2014				As of March 31, 2015
		Carrying				Carrying
		Amount		Fair Value		Amount		Fair Value
		(in thousands)
	Senior Secured Notes	$	300,000	$	301,503	$	300,000	$	310,500
	Senior Notes	293,399		300,300		273,074		286,038
	Total debt, excluding capital leases	$	593,399	$	601,803	$	573,074	$	596,538

Segment_Information

Segment Information	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segment Information	Segment Information
	The Company reports segment information along the same lines that its chief executive officer reviews its operating results in assessing performance and allocating resources. The Company operates two reportable segments, Business Services and Consumer Services. The Company’s Business Services segment provides a broad range of data, voice and managed services to retail and wholesale business customers. The Company’s Consumer Services segment provides nationwide Internet access and related value-added services to residential customers.
	The Company evaluates performance of its segments based on segment operating income. Segment operating income includes revenues from external customers, related cost of revenues and operating expenses directly attributable to the segment, which include costs over which segment managers have direct discretionary control, such as advertising and marketing programs, customer support expenses, product development expenses, certain technology and facilities expenses, billing operations and provisions for doubtful accounts. Segment operating income excludes other income and expense items and certain expenses over which segment managers do not have discretionary control. Costs excluded from segment operating income include various corporate expenses (consisting of certain costs such as corporate management, human resources, finance and legal), depreciation and amortization, impairment of goodwill and intangible assets, restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs, and stock-based compensation expense, as they are not considered in the measurement of segment performance.
	Information on reportable segments and a reconciliation to consolidated loss from operations for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 is as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014			2015
		(in thousands)
	Business Services
	Revenues	$	234,003		$	226,317
	Cost of revenues (excluding depreciation and amortization)	123,264			109,462
	Gross margin	110,739			116,855
	Direct segment operating expenses	85,611			81,248
	Segment operating income	$	25,128		$	35,607
	Consumer Services
	Revenues	$	63,317		$	56,130
	Cost of revenues (excluding depreciation and amortization)	22,612			20,000
	Gross margin	40,705			36,130
	Direct segment operating expenses	11,560			8,361
	Segment operating income	$	29,145		$	27,769
	Consolidated
	Revenues	$	297,320		$	282,447
	Cost of revenues	145,876			129,462
	Gross margin	151,444			152,985
	Direct segment operating expenses	97,171			89,609
	Segment operating income	54,273			63,376
	Depreciation and amortization	46,855			47,264
	Impairment of long-lived assets	5,334			—
	Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs	4,977			5,372
	Corporate operating expenses	9,313			5,649
	Income (loss) from operations	$	(12,206	)	$	5,091
	The Company manages its working capital on a consolidated basis and does not allocate long-lived assets to segments. In addition, segment assets are not reported to, or used by, the chief operating decision maker and therefore, total segment assets have not been disclosed.
	The Company has not provided information about geographic segments because substantially all of the Company’s revenues, results of operations and identifiable assets are in the United States.
	Information on revenues by groups of similar services and by segment for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 is as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014			2015
		(in thousands)
	Business Services
	Retail services	$	192,520		$	188,496
	Wholesale services	36,442			32,972
	Other services	5,041			4,849
	Total revenues	234,003			226,317
	Consumer Services
	Access services	52,635			45,046
	Value-added services	10,682			11,084
	Total revenues	63,317			56,130
	Total Revenues	$	297,320		$	282,447
	The Company’s Business Services segment earns revenue by providing a broad range of data, voice and managed services to retail and wholesale business customers. The Company presents its Business Services revenue in the following three categories: (1) retail services, which includes data, voice and managed services provided to business customers; (2) wholesale services, which includes the sale of transmission capacity and other services to other telecommunications carriers and businesses; and (3) other services, which primarily consists of web hosting. Revenues generally consist of recurring monthly charges for such services; usage fees; installation fees; termination fees; and administrative fees.
	The Company’s Consumer Services segment earns revenue by providing nationwide Internet access and related value-added services to residential customers. The Company presents its Consumer Services revenue in the following two categories: (1) access services, which includes dial-up and high-speed Internet access services; and (2) value-added services, which includes revenues from ancillary services sold as add-on features to the Company's Internet access services, such as security products, premium email only, home networking and email storage; search revenues; and advertising revenues. Revenues generally consist of recurring monthly charges for such services; usage fees; installation fees; termination fees; and fees for equipment.

Commitments_and_Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies
	Legal proceedings and other disputes
	General. The Company is party to various legal proceedings and other disputes arising in the normal course of business, including, but not limited to, regulatory audits, trademark and patent infringement, billing disputes, rights of access, tax, consumer protection, employment and tort. The Company accrues for such matters when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Where it is probable that a liability has been incurred and there is a range of expected loss for which no amount in the range is more likely than any other amount, the Company accrues at the low end of the range. The Company reviews its accruals each reporting period. As of December 31, 2014, the Company had a $2.2 million liability for a loss contingency that became probable and estimable during the year. During the three months ended March 31, 2015, a settlement was reached and payment was made for the recorded amount.
	The Company's management believes that there are no disputes, litigation or other legal proceedings, audits or disputes asserted or pending against the Company that could have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows, and believes that adequate provision for any probable and estimable losses has been made in the Company's consolidated financial statements. However, the ultimate result of any current or future litigation or other legal proceedings, audits or disputes is inherently unpredictable and could result in liabilities that are higher than currently predicted.
	Regulatory audits. The Company is subject to regulatory audits in the ordinary course of business with respect to various matters, including audits by the Universal Service Administrative Company on universal service fund assessments and payments. These audits can cover periods for several years prior to the date the audit is undertaken and could result in the imposition of liabilities, interest and penalties if the Company's positions are not accepted by the auditing entity. The Company's financial statements contain reserves for certain of such potential liabilities.
	Patents. From time to time, the Company receives notices of infringement of patent rights from parties claiming to own patents related to certain of the Company's services and products. Certain of these claims are made by patent holding companies that are not operating companies. The alleging parties generally seek royalty payments for prior use as well as future royalty streams. Most of these matters are in preliminary stages. The Company intends to vigorously defend its position with respect to these matters.
	Billing disputes. The Company is periodically involved in disputes related to its billings to other carriers for access to its network. The Company does not recognize revenue related to such matters until the period that revenues are determinable and it is reasonably assured of the collection of these claims. In the event that a claim is made related to revenues previously recognized, the Company assesses the validity of the claim and adjusts the amount of revenue being recognized to the extent that the claim adjustment is considered probable and estimable. The Company recognized $2.1 million of net favorable disputes related to its billings to other carriers during the three months ended March 31, 2015, which is included in Business Services revenues in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Loss.
	The Company periodically disputes network access charges that it is assessed by other companies with which the Company interconnects. The Company maintains adequate reserves for anticipated exposure associated with these billing disputes. The reserves are subject to changes in estimates and management judgment as new information becomes available. In view of the length of time historically required to resolve these disputes, they may be resolved or require adjustment in future periods and relate to costs invoiced, accrued or paid in prior periods. While the Company believes its reserves for billing disputes are adequate, it is reasonably possible that the Company could record additional expense of up to $7.1 million for unrecorded disputed amounts. The Company recognized $2.8 million and $3.6 million for favorable disputes with telecommunication vendors during the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015, respectively, which is included in Business Services cost of revenues in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss.
	Regulation
	The Company's services are subject to varying degrees of federal, state and local regulation. These regulations are subject to ongoing proceedings at federal and state administrative agencies or within state and federal judicial systems. Results of these proceedings could change, in varying degrees, the manner in which the Company operates. The Company cannot predict the outcome of these proceedings or their effect on the Company's industry generally or upon the Company specifically.

Summary_of_Significant_Account1

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation
	The condensed consolidated financial statements of EarthLink for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 and the related footnote information are unaudited and have been prepared on a basis consistent with the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) (the “Annual Report”).
	These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto contained in the Annual Report.  In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) which management considers necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented.  The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results anticipated for the entire year ending December 31, 2015.
Basis of Consolidation	Basis of Consolidation
	The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of EarthLink include the accounts of its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates
	The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements.  Actual results may differ from those estimates.
Long-Lived Assets	Long-Lived Assets
	The Company evaluates the recoverability of long-lived assets, including property and equipment and purchased definite-lived intangible assets, for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Conditions that would necessitate an impairment assessment include a significant decline in the observable market value of an asset, a significant change in the extent or manner in which an asset is used or a significant adverse change that would indicate the carrying amount of an asset or group of assets is not recoverable. For long-lived assets to be held and used, the Company recognizes an impairment loss only if its carrying amount is not recoverable through its undiscounted cash flows and measures the impairment loss, if any, based on the difference between the carrying amount and fair value. Long-lived assets held for sale are reported at the lower of cost or fair value less costs to sell. During the three months ended March 31, 2014, the Company recorded $5.3 million for impairment of long-lived assets, which consisted of impairment of work in progress for information technology projects not expected to be used. The impairment loss is classified within impairment of long-lived assets in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Loss.
Discontinued Operations	Discontinued Operations
	The operating results of the Company's telecom systems business acquired as part of ITC^DeltaCom, Inc. ("ITC^DeltaCom") have been separately presented as discontinued operations for all periods presented. On August 2, 2013, the Company sold its telecom systems business. The Company has no significant continuing involvement in the operations or significant continuing direct cash flows. The telecom systems results of operations were previously included in the Company's Business Services segment.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncement	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
	In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") issued authoritative guidance on revenue from contracts with customers. The new guidance outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard requires significantly expanded disclosures about revenue contract assets and liabilities. The standard is required to be adopted by public business entities in annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods, and may be applied on a full retrospective or modified retrospective approach. Early adoption is prohibited. In April 2015, the FASB proposed a one-year deferral of the effective date. Under the proposal, the standard would be required to be adopted by public business entities in annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2017. The FASB also proposed to permit early adoption at the original effective date. The Company is evaluating the impact of the implementation of this standard on its financial statements.
	In August 2014, the FASB issued authoritative guidance related to the disclosure of uncertainties about an entity's ability to continue as a going concern. The new guidance requires management to evaluate whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the financial statements and to provide related footnote disclosures if so. The new standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.
	In April 2015, the FASB issued authoritative guidance to simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs. The new guidance requires an entity to present debt issuance costs as a direct deduction from the related debt liability rather than as an asset. Entities would apply the new guidance retrospectively to all prior periods. The new standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this standard will require the Company to reclassify its debt issuance costs from other long-term assets to a direct deduction of long-term debt and capital lease obligations in its Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of March 31, 2015, the Company had $11.5 million of debt issuance costs.
	In April 2015, the FASB issued authoritative guidance to customers about whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for the arrangement as a service contract. Entities could apply the new guidance either prospectively or retrospectively to all prior periods. The new standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

Restructuring_Acquisition_and_1

Restructuring, Acquisition and Integration-Related Costs (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Schedule of Restructuring, Acquisition and Integration-Related Costs	Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs consisted of the following during the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014			2015
		(in thousands)
	Integration-related costs	$	3,953		$	1,317
	Severance, retention and other employee costs	1,008			2,901
	Facility-related costs	16			1,154
	Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs	$	4,977		$	5,372
Rollforward of Restructuring and Related Costs	The following table summarizes activity for liability balances associated with facility exit and restructuring liabilities for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Severance and Benefits			Facilities			Total
		(in thousands)
	Balance as of December 31, 2014	$	5,373		$	4,713		$	10,086
	Accruals	2,901			1,154			4,055
	Payments	(4,430		)	(334		)	(4,764		)
	Balance as of March 31, 2015	$	3,844		$	5,533		$	9,377

Goodwill_and_Other_Intangible_1

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of gross carrying value and accumulated amortization by major intangible asset	The following table presents the components of the Company’s acquired identifiable intangible assets included in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015:
		As of December 31, 2014							As of March 31, 2015
		Gross		Accumulated			Net		Gross		Accumulated			Net
		Carrying		Amortization			Carrying		Carrying		Amortization			Carrying
		Value					Value		Value					Value
		(in thousands)
	Customer relationships	$	359,187	$	(271,968	)	$	87,219	$	359,187	$	(287,967	)	$	71,220
	Developed technology and software	26,261		(22,096		)	4,165		26,261		(22,671		)	3,590
	Trade name	1,521		(1,521		)	—		1,521		(1,521		)	—
	Other	1,800		(1,694		)	106		1,800		(1,800		)	—
	Other intangible assets, net	$	388,769	$	(297,279	)	$	91,490	$	388,769	$	(313,959	)	$	74,810
Schedule of amortization expense	Amortization of intangible assets, which is included in depreciation and amortization in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss, for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 was as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014		2015
		(in thousands)
	Amortization expense	$	16,427	$	16,680

Other_Accrued_Liabilities_Tabl

Other Accrued Liabilities (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Other Accrued Liabilities [Abstract]
Schedule of Other Accrued Liabilities	December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015:
		As of December 31, 2014		As of March 31, 2015
		(in thousands)
	Accrued taxes and surcharges	$	17,801	$	18,081
	Accrued communications costs	25,917		24,608
	Amounts due to customers	9,565		9,019
	Accrued interest	5,251		16,706
	Accrued dividends	6,780		6,769
	Other	19,867		17,419
	Total other accrued liabilities	$	85,181	$	92,602

LongTerm_Debt_and_Capital_Leas1

Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Debt	The Company’s long-term debt and capital lease obligations consisted of the following as of December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015:
		As of December 31, 2014			As of March 31, 2015
		(in thousands)
	Senior secured notes due June 2020	$	300,000		$	300,000
	Senior notes due May 2019	300,000			278,925
	Unamortized discount on senior notes due May 2019	(6,601		)	(5,851		)
	Capital lease obligations	14,422			14,046
	Carrying value of debt and capital lease obligations	607,821			587,120
	Less current portion of debt and capital lease obligations	(1,537		)	(6,528		)
	Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$	606,284		$	580,592

StockBased_Compensation_Tables

Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Stock option activity	The following table summarizes stock option activity as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Stock Options		Weighted				Weighted	Aggregate
				Average				Average	Intrinsic
				Exercise				Remaining	Value
				Price				Contractual
								Term (Years)
		(shares and dollars in thousands)
	Outstanding as of December 31, 2014	2,475		$	7.26
	Granted	—		—
	Forfeited and expired	(15	)	10.32
	Outstanding as of March 31, 2015	2,460		7.24				5.9	$	—
	Vested and expected to vest as of March 31, 2015	2,334		7.3				5.8	—
	Exercisable as of March 31, 2015	1,617		7.8				4.8	—
Summary of the status of stock options by exercise price range	The following table summarizes the status of the Company’s stock options as of March 31, 2015:
	Stock Options Outstanding													Stock Options Exercisable
											Weighted
											Average	Weighted			Weighted
											Remaining	Average			Average
	Range of								Number		Contractual	Exercise		Number	Exercise
	Exercise Prices								Outstanding		Life	Price		Exercisable	Price
									(in thousands)					(in thousands)
	$	4.97		to		$	4.97		300		8.8	$	4.97	75	$	4.97
	6.08			to		6.08			845		7.9	6.08		423	6.08
	6.9			to		7.51			660		6.3	7.45		515	7.44
	7.64			to		11.82			655		1.6	9.57		604	9.67
	4.97			to		11.82			2,460		5.9	7.24		1,617	7.8
Schedule of Stock Options Valuation Assumptions	The fair value of stock options granted during the three months ended March 31, 2014 was estimated using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions:
		Three Months Ended March 31, 2014
	Dividend yield	4.02%
	Expected volatility	46.77%
	Risk-free interest rate	1.60%
	Expected life	5 years
Restricted stock unit activity	The following table summarizes restricted stock unit activity as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2015:
		Restricted		Weighted
		Stock Units		Average
				Grant Date
				Fair Value
		(in thousands)
	Outstanding as of December 31, 2014	5,810		$	4.74
	Granted	4,228		4.45
	Vested	(1,082	)	5.46
	Forfeited	(230	)	5.76
	Outstanding as of March 31, 2015	8,726		$	4.48

Fair_Value_Measurements_Tables

Fair Value Measurements (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Schedule of fair value of debt, excluding capital leases	The following table presents the fair value of the Company’s debt, excluding capital leases, as of December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015:
		As of December 31, 2014				As of March 31, 2015
		Carrying				Carrying
		Amount		Fair Value		Amount		Fair Value
		(in thousands)
	Senior Secured Notes	$	300,000	$	301,503	$	300,000	$	310,500
	Senior Notes	293,399		300,300		273,074		286,038
	Total debt, excluding capital leases	$	593,399	$	601,803	$	573,074	$	596,538

Segment_Information_Tables

Segment Information (Tables)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of information on reportable segments and a reconciliation to consolidated income from operations	Information on reportable segments and a reconciliation to consolidated loss from operations for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 is as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014			2015
		(in thousands)
	Business Services
	Revenues	$	234,003		$	226,317
	Cost of revenues (excluding depreciation and amortization)	123,264			109,462
	Gross margin	110,739			116,855
	Direct segment operating expenses	85,611			81,248
	Segment operating income	$	25,128		$	35,607
	Consumer Services
	Revenues	$	63,317		$	56,130
	Cost of revenues (excluding depreciation and amortization)	22,612			20,000
	Gross margin	40,705			36,130
	Direct segment operating expenses	11,560			8,361
	Segment operating income	$	29,145		$	27,769
	Consolidated
	Revenues	$	297,320		$	282,447
	Cost of revenues	145,876			129,462
	Gross margin	151,444			152,985
	Direct segment operating expenses	97,171			89,609
	Segment operating income	54,273			63,376
	Depreciation and amortization	46,855			47,264
	Impairment of long-lived assets	5,334			—
	Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs	4,977			5,372
	Corporate operating expenses	9,313			5,649
	Income (loss) from operations	$	(12,206	)	$	5,091
Schedule of information on revenues by groups of similar services and by segment	Information on revenues by groups of similar services and by segment for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2015 is as follows:
		Three Months Ended
		March 31,
		2014			2015
		(in thousands)
	Business Services
	Retail services	$	192,520		$	188,496
	Wholesale services	36,442			32,972
	Other services	5,041			4,849
	Total revenues	234,003			226,317
	Consumer Services
	Access services	52,635			45,046
	Value-added services	10,682			11,084
	Total revenues	63,317			56,130
	Total Revenues	$	297,320		$	282,447

Organization_Details

Organization (Details)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments	2
Number of route fiber miles	29,000
Number of metro fiber rings	90
Minimum percentage of IP coverage in United States	90.00%

Summary_of_Significant_Account2

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Impairment of long-lived assets	$0	$5,334,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	$11,500,000

Earnings_per_Share_Details

Earnings per Share (Details)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount	11.2	10.9

Restructuring_Acquisition_and_2

Restructuring, Acquisition and Integration-Related Costs (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Integration Related Costs	$1,317,000	$3,953,000
Business Combination Severance and Retention Costs	2,901,000	1,008,000
Business Combination Facility Related Costs	1,154,000	16,000
Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs	5,372,000	4,977,000
Balance as of December 31, 2014	10,086,000
Restructuring Costs	4,055,000
Payments	-4,764,000
Balance as of March 31, 2015	9,377,000
Restructuring Reserve, Current	5,700,000		6,800,000
Restructuring Reserve, Noncurrent	3,700,000		3,300,000
Employee Severance
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Balance as of December 31, 2014	5,373,000
Restructuring Costs	2,901,000
Payments	-4,430,000
Balance as of March 31, 2015	3,844,000
Facility Closing
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Balance as of December 31, 2014	4,713,000
Restructuring Costs	1,154,000
Payments	-334,000
Balance as of March 31, 2015	$5,533,000

Goodwill_and_Other_Intangible_2

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Intangible assets subject to amortization:
Gross Carrying Value	$388,769,000		$388,769,000
Accumulated Amortization	-313,959,000		-297,279,000
Net Carrying Value	74,810,000		91,490,000
Use of Estimates, Quarterly Changes in Estimates	1.4
Change in Accounting Estimate, Financial Effect	0.01
Amortization of intangible assets	16,680,000	16,427,000
Future amortization expense of definite-lived intangible assets
Remainder of 2015	49,500,000
2016	23,600,000
2017	1,300,000
2018	400,000
Customer relationships
Intangible assets subject to amortization:
Gross Carrying Value	359,187,000		359,187,000
Accumulated Amortization	-287,967,000		-271,968,000
Net Carrying Value	71,220,000		87,219,000
Weighted average amortization period (in years)	5 years 2 months
Developed technology and software
Intangible assets subject to amortization:
Gross Carrying Value	26,261,000		26,261,000
Accumulated Amortization	-22,671,000		-22,096,000
Net Carrying Value	3,590,000		4,165,000
Weighted average amortization period (in years)	3 years 9 months
Trade name
Intangible assets subject to amortization:
Gross Carrying Value	1,521,000		1,521,000
Accumulated Amortization	-1,521,000		-1,521,000
Net Carrying Value	0		0
Weighted average amortization period (in years)	5 years
Other
Intangible assets subject to amortization:
Gross Carrying Value	1,800,000		1,800,000
Accumulated Amortization	-1,800,000		-1,694,000
Net Carrying Value	$0		$106,000
Weighted average amortization period (in years)	3 years 7 months

Other_Accrued_Liabilities_Deta

Other Accrued Liabilities (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Other Accrued Liabilities [Abstract]
Accrued taxes and surcharges	$18,081	$17,801
Accrued communications costs	24,608	25,917
Amounts due to customers	9,019	9,565
Accrued interest	16,706	5,251
Accrued dividends	6,769	6,780
Other	17,419	19,867
Total other accrued liabilities	$92,602	$85,181

LongTerm_Debt_and_Capital_Leas2

Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$587,120,000		$607,821,000
Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	-6,528,000		-1,537,000
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	580,592,000		606,284,000
Debt Instrument, Repurchased Face Amount	21,100,000
Debt Instrument, Repurchase Amount	21,600,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt	1,286,000	0
Dividends declared per share	$0.05	$0.05
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage	100.00%
Senior Secured Notes Due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	300,000,000		300,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	7.38%
Long-term Debt Redemption Price Due to Change of Control as Percentage of Principal Amount	101.00%
Amount permitted in debt covenants for Restricted Payments	93,900,000
Percent used in determining ability to make Restricted Payments	300.00%
Senior Notes Due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	278,925,000		300,000,000
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount	5,851,000		6,601,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	8.88%
Long-term Debt Redemption Price Due to Change of Control as Percentage of Principal Amount	101.00%
Amount permitted in debt covenants for Restricted Payments	219,600,000
Capital Lease Obligations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	14,046,000		14,422,000
Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	135,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.50%
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	1,800,000
Dividends declared per share	$0.05
Debt Instrument Variable Rate Base LIBOR | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.50%
Debt Instrument Variable Rate Base | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.50%
Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Repurchased Face Amount				$5,000,000

Stockholders_Equity_Details

Stockholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Share Repurchases
Repurchase of common stock, authorized amount	$750,000,000
Repurchase of common stock, remaining authorization	65,700,000
Dividends
Dividends declared per share	$0.05	$0.05
Payment of dividends	$5,478,000	$5,707,000

StockBased_Compensation_Detail

Stock-Based Compensation (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Additional General Disclosures [Abstract]
Stock-based compensation	$3,415,000	$4,943,000
Stock Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Additional General Disclosures [Abstract]
Unrecognized compensation costs	1,000,000
Weighted-average period for recognition of unrecognized compensation cost (in years)	1 year 11 months
Stock option activity
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)	2,475
Granted (in shares)	0
Forfeited and expired (in shares)	-15
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	2,460
Vested and expected to vest at the end of the period (in shares)	2,334
Exercisable at the end of the period (in shares)	1,617
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	$7.26
Granted (in dollars per share)	$0
Forfeited and expired (in dollars per share)	$10.32
Outstanding at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$7.24
Vested and expected to vest at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$7.30
Exercisable at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$7.80
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term
Options outstanding at the end of the period (in years)	5 years 11 months
Vested and expected to vest at the end of the period (in years)	5 years 9 months
Exercisable at the end of the period (in years)	4 years 9 months
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding at the end of the period	0
Vested and expected to vest at the end of the period	0
Exercisable at the end of the period	$0
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions and Methodology [Abstract]
Dividend yield		4.02%
Expected volatility		46.77%
Risk-free interest rate		1.60%
Expected life		5 years
Weighted average grant date fair value of options granted		$1.48

StockBased_Compensation_Detail1

Stock-Based Compensation (Details 2) (Stock Options, USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015
Range of Exercise Prices from $4.97 to $4.97
Stock options outstanding and exercisable by exercise price range
Exercise price, low end of the range	$4.97
Exercise price, high end of the range	$4.97
Stock Options Outstanding - Number Outstanding (in shares)	300
Stock Options Outstanding - Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years)	8 years 9 months
Stock Options Outstanding - Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$4.97
Stock Options Exercisable - Number Exercisable (in shares)	75
Stock Options Exercisable - Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$4.97
Range of Exercise Prices from $6.08 to $6.08
Stock options outstanding and exercisable by exercise price range
Exercise price, low end of the range	$6.08
Exercise price, high end of the range	$6.08
Stock Options Outstanding - Number Outstanding (in shares)	845
Stock Options Outstanding - Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years)	7 years 11 months
Stock Options Outstanding - Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$6.08
Stock Options Exercisable - Number Exercisable (in shares)	423
Stock Options Exercisable - Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$0
Range of Exercise Prices from $6.90 to $7.51
Stock options outstanding and exercisable by exercise price range
Exercise price, low end of the range	$6.90
Exercise price, high end of the range	$7.51
Stock Options Outstanding - Number Outstanding (in shares)	660
Stock Options Outstanding - Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years)	6 years 3 months
Stock Options Outstanding - Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$7.45
Stock Options Exercisable - Number Exercisable (in shares)	515
Stock Options Exercisable - Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$7.44
Range of Exercise Prices from $7.64 to $11.82
Stock options outstanding and exercisable by exercise price range
Exercise price, low end of the range	$7.64
Exercise price, high end of the range	$11.82
Stock Options Outstanding - Number Outstanding (in shares)	655
Stock Options Outstanding - Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years)	1 year 7 months
Stock Options Outstanding - Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$9.57
Stock Options Exercisable - Number Exercisable (in shares)	604
Stock Options Exercisable - Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$9.67
Range of Exercise Prices from $4.97 to $11.82
Stock options outstanding and exercisable by exercise price range
Exercise price, low end of the range	$4.97
Exercise price, high end of the range	$11.82
Stock Options Outstanding - Number Outstanding (in shares)	2,460
Stock Options Outstanding - Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years)	5 years 11 months
Stock Options Outstanding - Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$7.24
Stock Options Exercisable - Number Exercisable (in shares)	1,617
Stock Options Exercisable - Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$7.80

StockBased_Compensation_Detail2

Stock-Based Compensation (Details 3) (Restricted Stock Units, USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, except Share data in Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Restricted Stock Units
Restricted Stock Unit Activity
Nonvested, at the beginning of the period (in shares)	5,810
Granted (in shares)	4,228
Vested (in shares)	-1,082
Forfeited (in shares)	-230
Nonvested, at the end of the period (in shares)	8,726
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Nonvested, at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	$4.74
Granted (in dollars per share)	$4.45	$4.29
Vested (in dollars per share)	$5.46
Forfeited (in dollars per share)	$5.76
Nonvested, at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$4.48
Restricted Stock Units, Other Information
Unrecognized compensation costs	$29.50
Weighted-average period for recognition of unrecognized compensation cost (in years)	2 years 5 months
Aggregate fair value of shares, vested	$5	$6.60

Income_Taxes_Details

Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income tax provision	($351,000)	($363,000)
Effective Income Tax Rate, Continuing Operations	-3.50%	-1.40%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, State and Local Income Taxes, Amount	100,000
Valuation Allowance, Amount	$337,600,000

Fair_Value_Measurements_Detail

Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$587,120	$607,821
Senior Secured Notes Due 2020
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt	300,000	300,000
Senior Notes Due 2019
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt	278,925	300,000
Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt	573,074	593,399
Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure | Senior Secured Notes Due 2020
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt	300,000	300,000
Carrying (Reported) Amount, Fair Value Disclosure | Senior Notes Due 2019
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt	273,074	293,399
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt	596,538	601,803
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure | Senior Secured Notes Due 2020
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt	310,500	301,503
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure | Senior Notes Due 2019
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$286,038	$300,300

Segment_Information_Details

Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments	2
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues	$282,447	$297,320
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	129,462	145,876
Gross margin	152,985	151,444
Direct segment operating expenses	89,609	97,171
Segment operating income	63,376	54,273
Depreciation and amortization	47,264	46,855
Impairment of long-lived assets	0	5,334
Restructuring, acquisition and integration-related costs	5,372	4,977
Corporate operating expenses	5,649	9,313
Income (loss) from operations	5,091	-12,206
Business Services Segment
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues	226,317	234,003
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	109,462	123,264
Gross margin	116,855	110,739
Direct segment operating expenses	81,248	85,611
Segment operating income	35,607	25,128
Consumer Services Segment
Segment Reporting Information
Revenues	56,130	63,317
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	20,000	22,612
Gross margin	36,130	40,705
Direct segment operating expenses	8,361	11,560
Segment operating income	$27,769	$29,145

Segment_Information_Details_2

Segment Information (Details 2) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue, Net	$282,447	$297,320
Business Services Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue, Net	226,317	234,003
Consumer Services Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue, Net	56,130	63,317
Retail Services | Business Services Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue, Net	188,496	192,520
Wholesale Services | Business Services Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue, Net	32,972	36,442
Other Services | Business Services Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue, Net	4,849	5,041
Access and Service | Consumer Services Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue, Net	45,046	52,635
Value Added Services | Consumer Services Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue, Net	$11,084	$10,682

Commitments_and_Contingencies_

Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period	$2.20
Billing Disputes, Revenue	2.1
Loss Contingency, Range of Possible Loss, Portion Not Accrued	7.1
Billing Disputes, Cost of Revenues	$3.60	$2.80